The Remarkable Life of Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton was born prematurely on Christmas Day, 1642, in Woolsthorpe, England. His father died before his birth and his mother remarried, leaving young Isaac in his grandmother's care.

Newton studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1661 to 1665. The Great Plague led to the closure of the university, prompting him to return home, where he developed calculus and theories on optics.

In 1668, Newton constructed the first practical reflecting telescope, which improved on the existing design by using mirrors to avoid chromatic aberration, a distortion found in refracting telescopes.

Newton's major work, 'Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica,' was published in 1687. It introduced the laws of motion and universal gravitation, laying the foundation for classical mechanics.

Less known is Newton's extensive work in alchemy and his deep interest in biblical chronology. He wrote more on these subjects than on physics and mathematics combined.

In 1696, Newton was appointed Warden of the Royal Mint, where he took his role seriously, reforming the currency and personally pursuing counterfeiters to ensure the integrity of the nation's finances.

Newton was known for his solitary nature and occasional bouts of depression. His feuds with contemporaries like Robert Hooke and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz were notorious for their intensity and bitterness.